Server for automatic serving systems.



J. DOYLE.

SERVER FOR AUTOMATIC SERVING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED 3110.12, 1912.

A A A t5? A 1,098,788, Patented June 2, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANDURAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. DOYLE.

SERVER FOR AUTOMATIC SERVING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12, 1912. 1,098,788. Patented June, 2, 1914.

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Zh'fnes es (2% uuLuMmA PLANOORAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c-.

JAMES DOYLE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SERVER FOR AUTOMATIC SERVING SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 12,. 1912.

To all w]: 0211, it may com-(wt Be it known that I, JAMES DOYLE, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheuy and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Servers for Automatic Serving Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to automatic serving systems and has special reference to trays or servers, which are filled with edible-s in the kitchen and conveyed to the tables in the dining room or restaurant without any handling of the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and ctlicient form of server for automatic serving systems, and one which can be easily and cheaply construct ed, will be durable in all. its working or operative parts and such a server as will entirely eliminate the necessity of waiters in the dining room.

A turther object is to provide such a server as can be made to serve any desired number of persons up to the seating capacity of each individual table and one which will permit of any number of persons being served at one table without lowering a "tray onto that part of the table unoccupied.

My invention consists, generally stated, in the novel arrangement construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appcrtains to construct, use and operate my improved server for automatic serving systems I will describe the same more fully referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the dining room and kitchen layout showing the cabinets above the dining room tables. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view partly in cross section of my im proved server used for carrying the edibles to the tables. Fig. 4t a cross sectional view of the same on the line l-4t of Fig. 3. Fig. is a front view of one section of a complete tray. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is a side view partly in section of the complete server.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawing.

My iu'iproved server is adapted for use Patented June 2, 1914.

Serial No. 736,391.

which are located between the tracks 2 which.

lead from the cabinets 3 in the dining room A. The dining room A is provided with tables 1-. which are placed in rows, as shown, and above each of the longitudinal rows of such tables one of the cabinets 3 is located. The tracks 2 extend from the kitchen and into the cabinets 3 and to the forward end thereof and said tracks provide a means of transit for the cars 5 which travel in said cabinet. The cars 5 are propelled through the cabinets 3 by means of small motors (not shown) located on the same and a lever 6 engaging with the groove 7 n the top of the car '1 stops the said car at a point directly above the desired table.

The car 5 is adapted to carry a server 8 within the same and such server is lowered onto the desired table by the operator through the medium of the chains 9 which connect with suitable mechanism in said car. The server 8 as shown in Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive, consists of a body 10 and tray sections 11. The body 10 has a hole 12 extending vertically through the same for fitting over the rod 13 which extends from the center of the tables 4 to the center of the openings 14; through which said server passes when being lowered from the car 5 and said rod is for the purpose of guiding said server onto the exact center of said table.

The body 10 Off the server 8 has an annir lar slot 15 within the same and such slot has four or more partitions 16 extending within the same and equally spaced for dividing said slot into separate pockets 17. Immediately without the annular slot 15 is an annular compartment 18 which has an opening 19 leading from the same through the wall 20 into the annular slot 15 at each point equidistant from the partitions 16 for the purpose hereinafter described. These openings are thus at the center of the pockets 1? and are adapted to receive a. latch 21 which is securely fixed to a shaft 22 journalcd in the annular compartment 18 and such shaft extends above and without said compartment and has a lever 23 attached thereto for the purpose of turning the said latch 21 into said pocket when desired and as shown in Fig. 1. lVhen desired the latch is turned completely into the compartment 18 shown in Fig. 4 by the dotted lines by means of turning the lever 23 as described.

Fig. 5 shows the tray sections 11 which may be of any required size depending upon the size of the table and may also require any number of the same to complete the full circle for covering the table at. These sections 11 have the flat base 2% and small side walls 25 and the attaching portion 26 at the inner end of the same for securing the same to the body 10 of the server. A small portion of the inner end of the section is covered by a plate 27 extending over between the small side walls 25 as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, while the attaching portion 26 is adapted to extend above said plate and is curved in shape and of just suflicient size to enter the pocket 17 in the body portion 10. The attaching portion 26 is provided with a groove 28 on the outer face of the same and said groove, when the section is in place in the body 10 of the server 8. will be directly in line with the opening in the wall 20 between the pocket 17 and the annular compartment 18 so as to allow for the engagement of the latch 21 with said groove when the lever is turned. The bottom of the tray section 11 is provided with a groove 29 which extends into the bottom of l the attaching portion 26 and is adapted to enable a flange 30 in the top of the table 4 to fit into the same, so that the section will be held in its proper position on the table when the body 10 has been raised later explained.

The operatlon of my improved system and server is as follows :The car 5 is loaded in the kitchen by an attendant who looks to the preparation of the edibles and such edibles areplaced on the server 8 one of each of the tray sections 11 being intended for each individualin the dining room A. If. for instance, there are only two persons at any certain table the server would have only two of the tray sections 11 attached thereto. The car 5 is then passed into the cabinet 3 and is stopped directly above the opening l t and the server lowered by means of the chains 9 as shown in Fig. 2. This operation all takes place by automatic control from an operating board 31 located in the kitchen and shown in Fig. 1. thus contain any desired number of individual tray sections 11. and the body portion 10 may be raised back into the car 5 after the lever 23 is turned to disengage the latch 21 on the shaft 22 from the groove 28 on the outer face of the attaching portion The server 8 may 26 of said tray section. The section 11 may be collected and taken to the kitchen in the same manner when desired and the flange 29 in the table fitting into the groove 30 as the tray section will always insure of the attaching portion 26 passing directly into the that when said body portion is lowered it will only be necessary to turn the lever 23 to engage said tray section therewith.

It will thus be seen that with my improved tray section any number of persons may be accommodated at the table without the necessity of lowering unutilized portions of the tray onto the table and that the work of attaching said portions will be very shght while the benefit derived will be enormous.

Various modifications and changes in the design. use and construction of my improved server may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the means of connecting the body and tray portions may be varied as practical experience develops.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. In combination with an automatic serving system. of a server for carrying edibles adapted to be lowered onto and raised from the table, said server having a body portion and individual tray sections. pockets in said body portion shafts without said pockets carrying latch members thereon. securing portions on said tray sections and adapted f to fit into said pockets. grooves in said portions. operatingmembers on said shafts for engaging said latches in said grooves, and means on the bottoms of said tray sections for fitting into grooves in said table for keeping said sections in alinenient.

2. In combination with an automatic serv ing system, of a server for carrying edibles adapted to be lowered onto and raised from the table, said server having a body portion and individual tray sections. pockets in said body portion, shafts without said pockets 1 carrying latch members thereon. securing portions on said tray sections and adapted to fit into said pockets, grooves in said portions, operating members on said shafts for engaging said latches in said grooves, and ribs on the bottoms of said tray sections for g fitting into grooves in said table for keeping said sections in alinement.

In testimony whereof. I the said James DOYLE have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES DOYLE.

\Vitnesses T. B. HUMPHPJEs, J. N. GOOKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

pocket 17 in the body 10 of the server, so 

